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Crop health faces huge challenges including climate change, biosecurity, pesticide availability, legislation and pesticide resistance.

Farmers must checkwastemanagement processes or face enforcement action, the Environment Agency (EA) has said.

A new report published today by the Future British Standards Coalition (FBSC) warns the Government has already watered down protections, scrutiny and accountability around food standards.

While for the most part agriculture has avoided the worst effects of Covid-19, minds are certainly starting to focus on the breadth of change heading the industry’s way in 2021, namely Brexit and the shifting sands of farm support.

Vegans face a 43% higher risk for bone fractures than meat eaters

As the weather turned wet in early October, the 2020 maize harvest could be described as a tale of two halves.

Lee Robb, 29, works at Ladyyard Farm, Mauchline, Ayrshire. He is a Crossroads YFC member, past Ayrshire District chairman and a current Ayrshire representative for agri and rural affairs.

The EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy, which sets a target to reduce pesticide use by 50 per cent, would negatively affect the world’s most food-insecure populations. The UK should not follow suit, says Adam Speed, director of public affairs at the Crop Protection Association.

2020 has been a challenging year for farmers, but with the end of the transition period, changes to direct payments and new trade deals on the horizon, 2021 may bring further hardship, says Conservative peer Anne McIntosh.